In 1997 we renewed our wedding vows — not that we were a mess and needed a restart, but — because ten years into our marriage, we were adults, “grown ups”, who had a better idea what we were doing and we wanted to be positive role models.

During our wedding we repeated vows I don’t recall and hope that we kept. At our 10th we wrote these vows, planning the keep them. And, aside from moments of selfishness, my inclinations to be a workaholic, and an occasional crabby day, we’re still keeping them. These vows help us keep on track toward our goal of a lifelong happy marriage.

In my dream I did what has become normal, natural and routine for me: I continued the conversation.

Presence

My wife Amy is right there —->

If I don’t think I have her attention I might say, “Aim!”, “Hey!”, “Cutie!” or “Amy!” to get her attention, but typically she is aware of me and her love for me when she is around me will tune her to me when I want her attention.

Lucado’s challenge is to personalize the life and death of Christ. Lucado explains that Jesus’ proclamation “I did it just for you.” is his resounding, enduring and personalized message.

Lucado makes the case that the trial, judgment, and execution was not happenstance. “Knowing his last deeds would be forever pondered, don’t you think he chose them carefully? Deliberately? Of course he did. There were no accidents that day.”

In the quiet can learn that we are lovable and that we can be and need to be loved. When we rest in God’s love — truly allow God into our being — we can acknowledge our imperfections, we can feel our wounds, we can see our scars and admit our sins. When we rest we can be quiet. In the quiet is God waiting for us.

“Be still, and know that I am God! Our God says, “Calm down, and learn that I am God!” 1

“For your own good.” That’s the kinda phrase that adults used to get me to do something I didn’t want to do without explaining all the details for me. Why they undoubtedly had wonderful reasons that “for your own good” was sufficient, inquisitive minds like mine were never satisfied.

While some people might have chosen to use their good judgement or “common sense” to avoid such mishaps, I did not.

Ignoring “for your own good” warnings was a choice, but ignoring “for your own good” has left me with many scars to prove my unwillingness to heed the “for your own good” warnings.